Corey Norman suspended by NRL for Dragons season opener after fight
Put the feet up: Corey Norman. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images
Dragons coach Anthony Griffin has another first-round selection headache after the NRL imposed a breach notice with a one-game suspension on playmaker Corey Norman after a fight at Cronulla in January.
Norman will also be fined $20,000 and given a second game ban, which will be held over him for 12 months rather then immediately enforced.
He will also have to take NRL-imposed education programs because of the incident.
"We accept there was a degree of provocation which led to the incident, but as a game we have been very clear that provocation is not an excuse to engage in a street fight,'' NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.
"Our players are role models for younger people in our community and they need to set the example for how to respond in such circumstances.
"We will always support our players who are subject to any form of abuse, but any form of violence is not an acceptable response."
In a statement, St George Illawarra said "the Dragons will work closely with Corey over the coming week to determine a position on the breach notice imposed".
Norman and new captain Ben Hunt had been expected to be the round one halves partnership, but now Griffin will now have to retain Adam Clune, who was a standout in a 2019 campaign where the Dragons finished 12th, or emerging talent Jayden Sullivan.
Hunt was named as Dragons captain on Friday, replacing Cameron McInnes, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament knee injury at training and will miss the season.
McInnes has signed a four-year deal to join Cronulla starting next season.
The Dragons meet the Sharks in round one at Kogarah on Sunday, March 14.
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au...ragons-nrl-season-opener-after-fight/?cs=3713